Room-dividing element for an open-plan office

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to a room dividing element, especially for use in open-plan offices. 
     It is the object of the invention to provide a room dividing element for an open-plan office, which is able to specifically protect a cubicle from acoustic disturbances. 
     To solve this task, there is provided a room dividing element for an open-plan office having at least one frame element that is usually positioned horizontally or vertically, which is configured as a sound absorber. Such a frame element is located at an open-end side of a separation wall of the room dividing element.

The invention relates to a room dividing element, specifically for open-plan offices. A room dividing element comprises one or more freestanding wall components, i.e. walls that are not permanently installed into the room and are not as tall as the height of the room, i.e. when standing, they do not reach the ceiling of the room. This one wall element or the plurality of wall elements of the room divider divides a room into different sections.

An open-plan office is an office comprising a large amount of floor space that accommodates a plurality of cubicles. Usually, the floor space exceeds 50 m² and can easily exceed 100 m². One cubicle in an open-plan office basically consists of at least one desk and a chair. As a rule, the cubicles, i.e. usually the desks, are separated from each other by wall elements. As a result, the cubicles are separated from each other. The purpose of the separating walls is to help provide a setting where the employees can focus on their work without being disturbed. Generally, an open-plan office accommodates a minimum of four cubicles. However, in most cases, such offices offer more than four cubicles, e.g. at least ten.

Activities, such as phone calls do generate noise in an open-plan office. This noise has to be absorbed. For this purpose, an open-plan office can be provided with a sound absorber, for example in accordance with patent document DE 10 2007 000 568 A1.

In an open-plan office, noise is generated especially at the individual cubicles. Ideally, the sound is absorbed in the proximity of the place where it occurs, i.e. near the respective desk.

Based on the described prior art, the object of the invention is to provide a room dividing element for open-plan offices that especially is able to protect a cubicle from acoustic disturbances.

In order to achieve the object, a room dividing element comprises the characteristics according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments will arise from the sub-claims.

To achieve the object, a room dividing element for open-plan office having at least one frame element generally extending in horizontal or vertical direction is provided, which is configured as a sound absorber. Such a frame element is located on an open-end side of a wall of the room dividing element.

A sound absorber according to the invention comprises a minimum of one element designated for the purpose of absorbing sound. As a rule, such a sound absorber element does not have any other purpose, such as for example decorative purposes. An element that is able to absorb sound according to the invention absorbs sound much more effectively than other elements in an office, such as for example carpeting or curtains. Basically, such a sound absorber element is not visible or is hardly visible, and this is especially due to a noise-permeable external surface. Such a surface may for example be made of perforated sheet metal. In this case, the sound absorber element would be located behind the perforated piece of sheet metal.

Any sound generated may primarily penetrate a cubicle around open or uncovered sides of a separating wall of a room dividing element and can do so especially due to diffraction. By covering such sides of a room dividing element and preferably all open sides with a frame provided with a sound absorber, a cubicle is optimally isolated from acoustic disturbances with minimal complexities. The reason is that the sound that could reach a cubicle by traveling around the open-end side of a separation wall is largely and effectively absorbed by the sound absorber that has been positioned there so that the related acoustic disturbances are minimized. Diffraction effects are also minimized, which would otherwise be a major contributor to the fact that sound travels from one cubicle to an abut cubicle.

Uncovered or open ends of a separating wall are such ends that do not abut on another wall, floor or ceiling if the room dividing elements are set up according to plan and around which sound is able travel to a cubicle without encountering any obstacles. Hence, a side of a separation wall that stands on a floor must not be considered as an open-end side of a separating wall.

In order to reduce the need for absorbers, which require a specific minimum dimension of several cm, usually 10 to 20 cm in all directions of the room, preferably only the open ends of a separation wall are configured as absorbers, i.e. as frame elements that comprise an absorber. This minimizes the amount of structural space required.

Preferably the room dividing element comprises a frame element that works as an absorber according to DE 10 2007 000 568 A1 to keep the structural space required for the room dividing element as compact as possible.

In a preferred embodiment, the floor surface of the room dividing element is T-shaped. First and foremost, the T-shape makes it possible to separate two desks from each other. If there is a total of four desks, it is possible to set up two room dividing elements with a T-shaped floor surface in such a manner that all four cubicles are also—and in particular—separated acoustically from each other. Consequently, depending on the number of cubicles, the T-shaped room dividing element allows for the modular set-up of separating walls in an open-plan office. Hence, every cubicle may effectively be separated from the others. The T-shape also allows for the freestanding installation of the room dividing elements in the room without any additional measures to ensure a stable set-up.

Advantageously, a room dividing element having T-shaped base may be separated into two parts for easy space-saving transportation. In this case, one part would be the horizontal line of a T; the other part would be the vertical line of the T.

In one embodiment, each one of the separation walls of the room dividing element is 1.50 to 1.70 m; preferably 1.55 to 1.65 m high. This height is sufficient to adequately separate two cubicles where work is being performed while sitting down. In this case, the sound absorbers would be in the proximity of every cubicle. If sound is generated at one cubicle, it is precociously absorbed by a sound absorber. Moreover, this set-up will allow a standing individual of normal height to glance across the separating walls, which prevents any claustrophobic conditions and ensures an advantageous overview across the entire office.

Preferably, the separation walls of such a room dividing element are made entirely or at least largely of glass with the exception of the frame elements and/or bars. Due to its sound reflecting characteristics, glass is a disadvantageous material when it comes to protecting the cubicles from sound. Due to its transparency for light, glass is advantageous when it comes to providing good lighting conditions at cubicles. According to the invention, it is possible to take advantage of the optical advantages of glass without having to live with its acoustic disadvantages.

Especially if the sound absorber known from DE 10 2007 000 568 A1 is used, it is sufficient if the frame element provided with a sound absorber has a depth, width and/or height of up to 20 cm so that it is able to absorb sound, especially also deep frequencies. Such frame elements are preferably at least 10 cm wide, deep and/or high, so that first of all, they are also able to absorb deeper frequencies.

Typically, a room dividing element can be set up on space with a length and/or width of 1 to 3 m. On this kind of space, it is typically possible to set up two desks. Hence, the base space of a room dividing element is dimensioned advantageously if these guidelines are satisfied. The length of a wall of the wall system consequently is 1 to 3 m. The term length of a wall refers to the longitudinal stretch of the base space.

In an advantageous embodiment, at least one frame element, preferably a horizontal frame element is provided with at least one, preferably with multiple lighting elements. In this case, the frame element assumes a dual function. On the one hand, it can absorb sound and on the other hand, it can provide lighting for the workspace.

Below, the invention will be explained in more detail by way of the FIGS. 1 to 3, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of two wall systems, each having T-shaped bases, which separate four cubicles from each other. The top horizontal frame of each wall system with two frame elements is visible. The depth of the frame elements shown in FIG. 1 is 11 cm. However, such a frame element 1, 2 can also be divided into two and for example comprise two 5.5 cm deep cassettes, which are filled with sound absorbing material. Each cubicle is also represented by a desk 3. FIG. 1 illustrates how two wall systems having T-shaped bases can shield four cubicles 3 from each other by placing the T-shapes on top of each other as can be seen from the top view.

It is possible to separate a separation wall with frame element 1 from a separation wall with frame element 2 in order to facilitate the transportation of the room dividing element. The room dividing element is suitable for flexible and mobile set-up. Thanks to the T-shaped bases, no additional mounting measures are required for the walls to ensure the stability of the set-up of the separators in an open-plan office.

FIG. 2 shows the wall with the horizontally set up frame element 1 shown in FIG. 1, which is preferably 20 cm high, which is not attached to the wall with frame element 2. This wall comprises two frame elements 4 on the side, which are specifically 20 cm wide, which are also provided with a sound absorber or configured as sound absorbers.

The frame elements 4 preferably have the same depth as frame element 1. Hence, all open-end sides are provided with frame elements that can absorb sound and can do so across the entire longitudinal extension of each frame element.

With the exception of a bar 5 in the center, the wall is made of glass panes 6. The bar 5 in the center comprises at least two recesses 7, in which hooks can be engaged. The purpose of these recesses 7 is the mounting to a wall that has a frame element 2. The wall with this frame element 2 comprises hooks that can be engaged in the recesses.

Therefore, two walls of the wall system shown in FIG. 1 can be assembled quickly and without any tools and can also be dismantled quickly without any tools.

Basically, the bars are dimensioned to be smaller than the sound absorbing frame elements, i.e. they are less wide and/or not as deep.

The wall shown in FIG. 2 preferably does not include a frame element at the bottom side that is configured as a sound absorber given that the bottom side stands on the floor and is therefore not an open-end side of a wall within the wall system.

In FIG. 3 the wall is shown with frame element 2 being horizontally positioned in the set-up state detached from the wall, along with frame element 1. The wall shown in FIG. 3 comprises a lateral frame element 8, which is configured to work as a sound absorber. The opposite end is limited by a vertical bar 10 that is not made of glass and has two hooks 9 mounted on it. Preferably, the bar is once again smaller in dimensions than the sound absorbing frame elements. The two hooks 9 are positioned in such a manner that they can be engaged in the recesses 7 so that the walls shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can be combined into a wall system having T-shaped bases as shown in FIG. 1. Consequently, all open ends of this wall are provided with frame elements 2, 8, which can absorb sound. The wall shown in FIG. 3 does not have a frame element at the bottom that is configured to work as a sound absorber given that the bottom is standing on the floor and thus is not an open end. The end with bar 10 is also not an open-end side given that it is abut to the wall with frame element 1. The wall shown in FIG. 2 is also made of glass pane 6 with the exception of the frame elements 2 and 8 and the bar 10, which has the hooks 9.

As compared to the frame elements 1, 2, 4, 8, the bottom sides of the walls shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 can preferably have at least one smaller dimensioned frame element that is principally not configured as a sound absorber and is preferably made of metal. Such a bottom frame element protects a glass pane 6, which is part of the system, against damages and stabilizes any given wall.

Basically, the glass panes 6 are always much thinner than the frame elements 1, 2, 4, 8. Glass panes 6 are usually only a few millimeters thick, e.g. 4 to 10 mm.

To be able to connect two walls with each other as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is possible to include other alternative or supplementary mounting solutions, such as screw connections, so that the walls can be connected in a particularly solid manner. Alternative or supplementary mounting solutions can adequately be used in the horizontal frame elements 1, 2, especially to connect the two walls into a T-shaped component. Basically, the glass panes 6 enter into the grooves of frame elements 1, 2, 4, 8 or bars 5, 10, respectively, so that to be reliably held in place. Glass panes can as well be differently connected with the frame elements and panes in alternative or supplementary ways, for example can be firmly bonded with the help of an adhesive.

It is possible to use double walled glass panes so that two cubicles maybe even more effectively separated from each other acoustically.

Preferably, frame elements 1, 2, 4, 8 comprise a perforated surface that encases a sound absorber element and which is externally visible, made for example of metal or plastic.

FIG. 4 shows a cross sectional view of a frame 2, 4, 8, which is provided with an absorber. From the frame, a glass pane 6, which preferably is held in place by a profile 11 made of aluminum, extends in an outward direction. Two cassettes with absorber material with a housing 12 are attached to the profile 11; they are for example clasped or screwed into place. In the cross sectional view shown in FIG. 4, each cassette has a narrow side with a length of 5.5 cm and a long side with a length of 20 cm Therefore, in each direction they provide a minimum of 10 cm absorber material. It has proven to be of no consequence if a gap 14 remains between the two cassettes, as illustrated, so that deep frequencies can also be absorbed. This at least is true if the housing 12 shown in FIG. 4 is perforated throughout, including the region of the gap 14, so that the sound from one cassette can reach the other cassette through gap 14 and each cassette is filled with the absorber material known from DE 10 2007 000 568 A1. Profile 11 comprises one or two screw channels 13 so that two frames can be screw-connected with each other. This embodiment is particularly suitable if glass is used, which makes the elements heavy.

The preferably provided sound absorber element especially comprises a plurality of porous layers or areas. The layers are preferably arranged horizontally so as to absorb sound in an especially suitable manner. Instead of layers, it is also possible to use a plurality of cubes, which, on all sides, abut on another cube of such type. No air gaps must remain between the porous layers or areas. The transition from a porous layer (or area) to an abutting porous layer (or area) goes hand in hand with an increase in impedance as described in DE 10 2007 000 568 A1. This means that the input impedance or input resistance of a porous zone is significantly different from the input impedance of an abutting porous area such that low frequencies below 600 Hz, preferably below 500 Hz, are absorbed. In particular, sound with a frequency below 600 Hz is absorbed at a minimum rate of 50%; preferably at a minimum rate of 80%.

In one embodiment this is achieved in such a manner that at least 50% of the sound with frequencies in the particularly interesting range between about 200 to about 700 Hz will be absorbed; preferably up to at least 80%. These details consistently pertain to the entire designated frequency range. Preferably, the sound in all audible frequencies starting at 250 Hz is absorbed at a rate of at least 80%. In particular, this can be achieved even with a frame element that is only a maximum of 11 cm deep even if it is comprised of two cassettes. This is especially successful if the absorber material of the frame element is configured in the manner known from DE 10 2007 000 568 A1.

An absorber element, which is preferably used, consists of at least three, preferably at least four porous layers or areas that are different. Each boundary layer between two layers or areas is configured such that a manner that it is associated with a jump in impedance. The jumps in impedance are chosen appropriately large to make sure that they can absorb deep frequencies appropriately well.

However, a jump in impedance must not be so excessive that the sound is no longer transported from one material to the next. A large jump in impedance is usually attained if the densities of two abutting porous layers or areas are vastly different; preferably at least by 20 kg/m³ or if the flow resistances are vastly different; preferably the difference is at least 5 kPa·s/m². Given that at least three layers are different from each other, at least two different impedance jumps will occur to completely absorb—if possible—the desired frequency ranges.

The invention is based on the finding that a room dividing element that is provided with a sound absorber at its open edges is able to specifically minimize diffraction effects and that it is therefore possible to use glass, or alternatively, transparent plastics, in order to prevent darkening of room zones by such elements. 

1. A room dividing element for an open-plan office having at least one frame element (1, 2, 4, 8) positioned on an open-end side of a separation wall of the room dividing element, which is configured as a sound absorber.
 2. The room dividing element according to claim 1, characterized in that all open ends of the room dividing element are provided with frame elements (1, 2, 4, 8) that are configured as sound absorbers.
 3. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the base of the room dividing elements is T-shaped.
 4. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each separation wall is 1.50 m-1.70, preferably 1.55 m-1.65 m high.
 5. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each separation wall with the exception of frame elements (1, 2, 4, 8) or connection elements (5, 7, 10, 9), especially comprising vertically extending bars (5, 10), consists of glass (6).
 6. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a frame element (1, 2, 4, 8) provided with a sound absorber is up to 20 cm deep, wide and/or high and/or that at least 10 cm of absorber material is present in each direction.
 7. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a base having a length and/or width of 1 to 3 m, respectively, is required to be able to set up the room dividing element.
 8. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a frame element (1, 2, 4, 8) configured as a sound absorber element is provided with a lighting element.
 9. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a wall of the wall system is provided with a specifically vertically extending bar (7), to which an additional wall of the system can be attached.
 10. The room dividing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a frame configured as an absorber comprises two cassettes that are specifically attached to a profile (11) and that specifically comprise a housing (12) that is perforated throughout, which is also perforated in the vicinity of one or more gaps (14). 